Method and system for research and development management in an enterprise

ABSTRACT

A method and system for capturing research decision flow in a Research and Development (R&amp;D) activity are provided. The method includes defining an objective of the R&amp;D activity and determining one or more requirements for fulfilling the objective of the R&amp;D activity. Further, the method includes identifying a set of risks associated with failure to satisfy the one or more requirements. Furthermore, the method also includes developing a task plan to satisfy the one or more requirements and mitigate one or more risks of the set of risks. Furthermore, the method also includes linking the objective, the one or more requirements, the set of risks and the task plan, to generate a linked information record.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of Research and Development(R&D) management in an enterprise. More specifically, the inventionrelates to a method and system for managing R&D activities in anenterprise through exhaustive knowledge capture and sharing acrossdivisions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the world economy getting increasingly globalized, competition inmarkets is growing at a tremendous rate. To survive in such anenvironment, organizations need to evolve continuously. One of the waysfor organizations to evolve is through Research & Development (R&D). R&Dof new technologies and products is one of the most critical successfactors in modern business. R&D helps organizations compete better bylowering costs of existing products, developing new and improvedproducts or wholly revolutionizing a product category. Given theimportance of R&D, the need to ensure that the R&D effort delivers ontime becomes very critical. Hence, the organizations engaged in R&D mustdevise ways and means to organize and manage R&D activities.

What make management of R&D challenging are its distinctivecharacteristics. R&D differs from other activities as it is basedprimarily on knowledge and understanding. Since different divisions ofan enterprise are involved in R&D, effective transfer of knowledge isrequired between them. This transfer of knowledge requires a process tocapture the knowledge in the first place. This capture of knowledge ishindered due to the lack of a common language across divisions thatparticipate in R&D. Since every division talks in a different jargon, noeffective means exist for transferring knowledge and understandingbetween divisions. Currently, most knowledge capture and transfer in R&Dis ad-hoc through extensive documentation. However, it is very difficultto understand the context and rationale behind an R&D activity fromthese large documents. Also, often during the course of a project, someteam members leave and new people join. The existing systems are unableto provide an effective way of transferring knowledge to the new people.Hence, this phenomenon often results in redundant effort and delay inthe schedule.

Another factor that makes management of R&D challenging is the lack ofvisibility into the progress and needs of various projects. A key reasonfor this is that the R&D management tools are disparate and fragmentedacross divisions. This fragmented information gives an incomplete andinaccurate picture of the progress. Further, even when links existbetween such fragmented tools, it is very difficult to aggregate orsegregate information for management purposes. Specifically, the toolsto manage investments across diverse projects and technologies areundeveloped and require extensive manual labor. This results in a lot ofdecisions, such as R&D planning and investment decisions, to be based onimprecise information or what is called “gut feelings.” This can oftenresult in unnecessary delays in a project. In a typical organizationengaged in R&D, the R&D division works on a multitude of projectssimultaneously. A delay in one project has significant impact on theother projects and on the overall R&D schedule.

In light of the above, there exists a need for an efficient R&Dmanagement system. The system should be capable of capturing knowledgeacross divisions by overcoming the different jargons. Further, thesystem should span across the divisions in an enterprise to enableeffective sharing of information providing better visibility into thewhole R&D process.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for capturing researchdecision flow in a Research and Development (R&D) activity. The methodincludes defining an objective of the R&D activity and determining oneor more requirements for fulfilling the objective of the R&D activity.Further, the method includes identifying a set of risks associated withfailure to satisfy the one or more requirements. Further, the methodalso includes developing a task plan to satisfy the one or morerequirements and mitigate one or more risks of the set of risks.Furthermore, the method also includes linking the objective, the one ormore requirements, the set of risks and the task plan to generate alinked information record.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a method for managingResearch and Development (R&D) activities in an enterprise. Theenterprise includes one or more sub-divisions and the one or moresub-divisions include one or more members. The method includes capturingresearch decision flow in the R&D activities. Capturing researchdecision flow includes inputting an objective of each R&D activity ofthe R&D activities. Further, capturing research decision flow includesinputting one or more requirements. The one or more requirements aredetermined for fulfilling the objective of each R&D activity.Furthermore, capturing research decision flow includes inputting a setof risks. The set of risks are based on failure to satisfy the one ormore requirements. Moreover, capturing research decision flow includesinputting a task plan. The task plan is developed to satisfy the one ormore requirements and mitigate one or more risks of the set of risks.The method further includes capturing a set of task informationassociated with one or more tasks performed by the one or more members.The one or more tasks are related to the R&D activities. Furthermore,the method includes linking the inputted objective, the one or morerequirements, the set of risks, the task plan and the set of taskinformation, related to each R&D activity to generate a linkedinformation database in a linked information module for the R&Dactivities. Moreover, the method includes providing access to the linkedinformation module by the one or more members.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a system for managingResearch and Development (R&D) activities in an enterprise. Theenterprise includes one or more sub-divisions and the one or moresub-divisions include one or more members. The system includes aknowledge capture module, a linked information module and an accessmodule. The knowledge capture module is configured to capture researchdecision flow in the R&D activities. The research decision flow in theR&D activities is captured by receiving an objective of each R&Dactivity of the R&D activities. The objective is input by the one ormore members. After receiving the objective, one or more requirementsfor fulfilling the objective of each R&D activity are received. The oneor more requirements are determined by the one or more members.Thereafter, a set of risks associated with failure to satisfy the one ormore requirements is received. The set of risks is identified by the oneor more members. Finally, a task plan to satisfy the one or morerequirements and mitigate one or more risks of the set of risks isreceived to capture research decision flow in the R&D activities. Thetask plan is defined by the one or more members. Further, the knowledgecapture module is also configured to capture a set of task informationassociated with one or more tasks performed by the one or more members,the one or more tasks being related to the R&D activities. The linkedinformation module is configured to link the objective, the one or morerequirements, the set of risks, the task plan and the set of taskinformation related to each R&D activity. Lastly, the access moduleprovides access to the linked information module to the one or moremembers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be describedin conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate andnot to limit the invention, wherein like designations denote likeelements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary structure of an enterprise, inaccordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary enterprise, where various embodiments ofthe present invention may be practiced;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a Research & Development (R&D)Management System, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for capturing researchdecision flow in an R&D activity, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managing R&Dactivities in an enterprise, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managing investmenton R&D activities in an enterprise, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for performing aperformance review of a member of an enterprise involved in R&D, inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for locating a personwith a predetermined skill, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for performing a reviewfor an R&D activity, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managingintellectual property associated with R&D activities, in accordance withan embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary structure of an enterprise 100, inaccordance with the prior art. The enterprise 100 is organized intovarious sub-divisions to facilitate functioning of the enterprise 100.For the purpose of this description, the enterprise 100 has been shownto include six divisions, which include an R&D Division 102, anengineering division 104, a manufacturing division 106, a managementdivision 108, a customer support division 110, and a marketing division112. These six divisions will hereinafter be collectively referred to asthe divisions 102-112. Each division is responsible for their specificfunctions in the enterprise 100. For example, the R&D division 102handles all the research work and the manufacturing division 106 handlesall the manufacturing and production work.

Further, each of the divisions 102-112 can have its own sub-divisions.For example, the engineering division 104 can have various sub-divisionssuch as a mechanical engineering sub-division 114, a thermal engineeringsub-division 116, and a chemical engineering sub-division 118. Althoughsub-divisions of the engineering division 104 are shown in FIG. 1 forthe sake of clarity, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art,that each of the divisions 102-112 can have its own sub-divisions.

While performing their respective roles, each of the divisions 102-112generates a lot of information. This information is stored for recordkeeping and future reference. This information includes work-relateddocuments, reports, communications, work plans & objectives, and thelike. Typically, this information is maintained separately by eachdivision. The R&D division 102 stores R&D information 120, theengineering division 104 stores the engineering information 122, themanufacturing division 106 stores manufacturing information 124, themanagement division 108 stores management information 126, the customersupport division 110 stores customer support information 128, and themarketing division stores the marketing information 130. Further, in anembodiment, various sub-divisions of each of divisions 102-112 can alsostore its own information related to that subdivision. For example, themechanical engineering sub-division 114 of the engineering division 104can store information related to the mechanical engineering sub-division114. In another embodiment, the divisions 102-112 can store informationrelated to their respective sub-divisions. For example, the engineeringdivision 104 can also store information related to the mechanicalengineering sub-division 114, the thermal engineering sub-division 116,and the chemical engineering sub-division 118. In an embodiment, theinformation from the divisions 102-112 may be stored in a centralserver. However, even in this case, the purpose is only to store allinformation in one place. The information can still not be easilyaggregated or accessed.

Aggregation of information from the divisions 102-112 is required tofacilitate R&D work because even though their roles are different, theirobjectives are interlinked. Each division works towards the commonobjective of running and growing the enterprise 100. Hence, theiroperations also need to be in sync with each other so as to achieve thecommon objective. Further, sub-divisions of the divisions 102-112 mayalso need to be coordinated with each other. Furthermore, the divisions102-112 may also be required to coordinate their work with the othersub-divisions of the divisions 102-112. An example of this can includethe manufacturing division 106 performing manufacturing of product. Tomanufacture the product, the manufacturing division 106 needs tounderstand the various features about design of the product and possibleknowledge of advantages and disadvantages of design. For this, themanufacturing division 106 needs to have access to the knowledgegenerated by the mechanical engineering sub-division 114. Anotherexample can include the marketing division 112 performing a marketsurvey to determine consumer preferences. In order to benefit from theinsights from the survey, the products would need to be modified to meetthe consumer preferences. To achieve this objective, R&D division 102needs to access and understand the results of the survey and link themto their research objectives. Further, the R&D division 102 would needthe help of the engineering division 104 and the manufacturing division106 to evaluate the viability of coming out with the improved product.Hence, even though the R&D division performs only its respectivefunction, very often it requires information and assistance from theother divisions.

Given this interdependence of the divisions 102-112, storing theirrespective information in separate un-integrated chunks results in a lotof inefficiency in the functioning of the enterprise 100. Thisinefficiency can be in the form of manual communication delays orincomplete information transfer resulting in time wastage and redundanteffort. The divisions could also face difficulty in comprehending thetransferred information due to use of technical jargon in thetransferred information specific to each division.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary enterprise 200, where variousembodiments of the present invention may be practiced. The enterprise200 is organized into various sub-divisions to facilitate functioning ofthe enterprise 200. For the purpose of this description, the enterprise200 has been shown to include six divisions which include an R&DDivision 206, an engineering division 208, a manufacturing division 210,a management division 212, a customer support division 214, and amarketing division 216. These six divisions will hereinafter becollectively referred to as the divisions 206-216. Each division isresponsible for their specific functions in the enterprise 200. Further,each of the divisions 202-216 can have its own sub-divisions. Forexample, the engineering division 208 can have various sub-divisionssuch as a mechanical engineering sub-division 218, a thermal engineeringsub-division 220, and a chemical engineering sub-division 222. Althoughsub-divisions of the engineering division 208 are shown in FIG. 2 forthe sake of clarity, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat each of the divisions 206-216 can have its own sub-divisions.

The enterprise 200 also includes a Research and Development (R&D)management system 202. The R&D management system 202 helps manage allthe R&D related activities in the enterprise 200. It includes aninformation database 204 that is used to store the information generatedby the divisions 206-216 while performing their respective roles. Theinformation database 204 stores all the information from the divisions206-216 in an aggregated form. It is this aggregated information that isused by the R&D management system to organize and streamline the wholeR&D effort in the enterprise 200 to make it more efficient. An exampleof such a usage can be planning R&D work based on aggregated informationon all R&D activities currently going on in R&D division 206. Otherexamples can include distributing investment across various R&Dactivities based on their relative priorities to other divisions,monitoring progress of different R&D activities and accordinglymodifying R&D planning schedules, and providing access to theinformation database 204 by the divisions 206-216 to enable accurate andefficient information transfer.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a Research & Development (R&D)management system 300, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. The R&D management system 300 is capable of managing R&Dactivities in an enterprise. The enterprise includes one or moredivisions. Examples of the divisions include, but are not limited to, anR&D division, a research division, an engineering division, amanufacturing division, a technology division, a management division, amarketing division, and a customer service division. The one or moredivisions include one or more members who are employees of theenterprise. In an embodiment, the R&D management system can be similarto the R&D management system 202 described in conjunction with FIG. 2.

The R&D management system 300 includes a knowledge capture module 302, alinked information module 304, and an access module 306. The knowledgecapture module 302 is configured to capture research decision flow inthe R&D activities. It captures the research decision flow by performinga series of steps. Firstly, the knowledge capture module 302 receives anobjective of each R&D activity. Examples of the objective can includedevelopment of a new product such as an engine or a car, researching anew technology for example quantum computing or nanotechnology,modifying an existing product and the like. The objective is input by atleast one of the one or more members from any of the divisions. Forexample, the objective could be input by a member from the marketingdivision based on market surveys, a member from the management divisionbased on a newly adopted business strategy, or by a head of the R&Ddivision based on his discussions with the heads of all the otherdivisions.

Next, the knowledge capture module 302 receives one or more requirementsfor fulfilling the objective of each R&D activity. The requirementsinclude essentially two parts, all the sub-objectives required to becompleted to achieve the objective and all the limitations that have tobe met while meeting the objective. Examples of the requirements caninclude certain characteristics required in the new product such as fuelefficiency or safety. Another example of requirements can be based onmodification specifications that need to be met by the modifiedproducts, such as the performance remaining the same while increasingthe fuel efficiency or the safety standards being met while usinglightweight materials to build the car. The one or more requirements aredetermined by at least one of the one or more members of the divisions.For example, the requirement could be a cost requirement determined andinput by a member of the marketing division, or an internationalstandards requirement determined and input by a member of theengineering division or by a member of the R&D division.

Thereafter, the knowledge capture module 302 receives a set of risksassociated with failure to satisfy the one or more requirements. Theserisks are basically the points of concern or the possible loopholes tobe kept in mind while working towards meeting the requirements. The setof risks can include risks such as the components being used toformulate a new cosmetics product could react to form a poisonoussubstance in the presence of water, welds used to fabricate a componentin a machine could rupture beyond a certain speed of operation, and thelike. The set of risks are also identified by at least one of the one ormore members of the divisions.

Lastly, the knowledge capture module 302 receives a task plan to satisfythe one or more requirements and mitigate one or more risks of the setof risks. The task plan includes a list of tasks and sub-tasks and theschedule within which they have to be completed. For example, a taskplan of development of a lightweight engine can have a list of tasks andsub-tasks such as researching lightweight materials for the engine,testing each material for temperature behavior and durability andselecting a material based on testing results, fabricating sampleengines, and testing the sample engines for compliance with all of theone or more requirements etc. The task plan is also defined by at leastone of the one or more members of the divisions. Hence, by receiving andaggregating all the information regarding the objectives, requirements,risks and plans, the knowledge capture module 302 is able to capture theresearch decision flow. The process of capturing the research decisionflow is described in detail in conjunction with the description of FIG.4.

Further, the knowledge capture module 302 is also configured to capturea set of task information associated with one or more tasks performed bythe one or more members. Each of the task information includesimplementation details associated with a task of the list of tasks andsub-tasks of the task plan. For example, task information fordevelopment of a light-weight engine can include computer models of theengine and its parts, finite element analysis files for examining theengine and its parts, computer numerical control (CNC) machining filesfor building the engine, information on task performers, communicationsassociated with the tasks, minutes of meetings related to the tasks,results and reports containing outputs of the tasks, and the like.

The linked information module 304 is configured to link the objective,the one or more requirements, the set of risks, the task plan, and theset of task information related to each R&D activity. The linkedinformation module 304 includes a linked information database to storethis information. Linking also involves interlinking each of objectives,requirements, risks and plans to each other. For example, the risksrelated to each requirement are linked to it along with all informationregarding the tasks in the plan directed towards meeting therequirement. Linking the information related to each R&D activity givesexhaustive sets of structured information for each R&D activity. Thesesets of structured information can be used to transfer knowledgerelating to each R&D activity. This ensures accurate and completeknowledge transfer thus rendering the whole process of R&D moreefficient. In one embodiment, the linked information database in thelinked information module 304 can also include investment data,skill-set data, intellectual property data, and a set of communicationdata. Further, the linked information module 304 also includes data fromthe one or more divisions.

The linked information module 304 is also capable of overcoming theproblem of different jargons being used across various divisions in theenterprise. This is achieved by providing a context of each decision.The context helps in understanding each decision since the context ishighly objective in nature as opposed to the subjective nature ofcontext that may arise due to varying interpretation of jargon bymembers of different divisions. For example, in case of a light-weightengine, satisfactory structural integrity over the design life is a keydesign requirement. A structural engineer from the mechanicalengineering sub-division 218 is normally responsible for ensuring thestructural integrity. The structural integrity depends on materialproperties of the aluminum used for building the engine and pressure andtemperature imposed upon it by combustion of fuel in the engine. Thematerial properties in turn also depend on the temperature. A materialscientist from the chemical engineering sub-division 222 is responsiblefor determining properties of the aluminum. A computational fluiddynamics (CFD) engineer from the mechanical engineering sub-division 218is normally responsible for estimating temperature and pressuregenerated by the combustion process. A thermal engineer from the thermalengineering sub-division 220 takes the results of the combustion processand material properties from the material scientist and the CFD engineerto develop a temperature profile. The structural engineer then combinesthe information from the material scientist, the CFD engineer and thethermal engineer in order to evaluate the life of the light-weightengine. Thus, it can be seen that the R&D process is complex. Further,the R&D process is interdependent. The temperature and pressuresgenerated by the CFD engineer depend on material properties and thermalbehavior of the engine. The thermal behavior in turn depends on thetemperature, pressure and material properties. The combustion process iscomplex and can result in many different temperatures and pressuresbased on how long the engine has been running, how fast etc.

Historically, the exchange of information between all these engineerswas through an exchange of values for different parameters necessary tobuild discipline-specific models. However, the rationale behind how ateam member arrived at specific values was either lost because of jargonused in discipline-specific technical documents or was not captured atall. In the present example, the CFD engineer has to make severaldecisions about which temperature and pressure values are transferred tothermal and structural engineers. These decisions often have significantimpact on work performed by other team members downstream and on overalldesign of the engine. Many times, not understanding this rationale leadsto unnecessary cost being added to the product. Also, these decisionscan have opposite impact on different disciplines. For example, a highertemperature may restrict cracks growth to improve overall engine lifebut may actually increase chances of a leak.

In an embodiment of the present invention, each engineer outlinesrequirements and risks that they are addressing in their evaluation.Since this information is embedded in an easy-to-understand jargon-freelinked information record, each engineer is able to understand not onlythe values of parameters being provided to him, but also the rationalebehind how those values were generated. Hence the thermal engineer canunderstand the drivers and rationale behind parameters and values hereceives from the CFD engineer, while the CFD engineer can understandexactly how the thermal engineer is planning to use the temperature andpressure values he is receiving. Therefore, the linked informationmodule 304 helps in mitigating the impact of jargon and facilitating auser in understanding the rationale (or context) of a decision, andresults in development of more robust and cost-effective systems.

Further, in an embodiment, the context for each decision is provided bystructuring the information into predefined data fields. Various kindsof data formats such as drop down lists with limited options, percentagevalues for progress, summary fields with word limits, etc can be used tomake the data fields (the context) objective. Therefore, members of theenterprise can now represent their thoughts and work in fixed formats.This helps in reducing the complexity in the information. Further, sincethe amount of information is also reduced, in comparison with largedocuments that were traditionally used, it becomes very easy tocomprehend the information and make better informed decisions. Thelinked information database in the linked information module 304 is alsoconfigured to store the linked information. In addition to thestructured information, the linked information module 304 also providesmeans to store the work documents and data for record keeping purposes.

In one embodiment of the invention, the linked information module 304 isfurther configured to classify data in the linked information module 304into one or more categories. Examples of the one or more categoriesinclude, but are not limited to, a product category, a technologycategory, and a skill-set category. The classification of data into theone or more categories facilitates easier extraction of informationthrough organizing the data under various relevant categories. Hence, aperson requiring a particular kind of information regarding multiple R&Dactivities can directly access it through the relevant categories. Forexample, a person wants to find out how many R&D activities are beingworked on in the domain of material sciences. Then the person candirectly access the technology category under which he will be able tosee all current R&D activities in the domain of material sciences. Inaddition, he will also be able to see various details about each ofthese R&D activities such as progress, schedule, tasks, and the like.

In one embodiment of the invention, the linked information database inthe linked information module 304 can be updated with every action thatis related to the R&D activity. Further, the linked information module304 can be used for modifying at least one of the objective, the one ormore requirements, the set of risks, and the task plan. Suchmodifications will be required quite often as the insights obtainedthrough analysis of the linked information will cause changes to occurin the original objectives, requirements, risks and plans. For example,when the results of a material testing experiment stored in the linkedinformation database in the linked information module 304 are seen by amanager in the R&D division, he decides to change the underlyingrequirement. Hence, the linked information module 304 maintains a verydynamic nature continuously being updated with any action related to theR&D activities.

In an embodiment of the invention, the job of linking the objective, theone or more requirements, the set of risks, the task plan, and the setof task information can also be performed by the knowledge capturemodule 302 only. The linked information database in the linkedinformation module 304 can be used for only storing the linkedinformation.

The access module 306 provides access to the linked information module304 by the one or more members of the one or more divisions. This resultin making the whole process of R&D management more efficient throughproviding the structured information to anyone and everyone who mightneed to refer to it for work purposes. Further, this structuredinformation can be used by the one or more members for various purposessuch as monitoring R&D activities, distributing investments among theR&D activities, modifying R&D activity plans, and various other purposesrelated to any aspect of the R&D activities.

In one embodiment of the invention, the access module 306 can implementan access control policy based on a role of a member in the enterprise.The access control policy authorizes members to perform various actionsbased on their roles in the enterprise. Examples of these actionsinclude, but are not limited to, inputting the objective, determiningthe one or more requirements, identifying the set of risks, defining thetask plan, performing the one or more tasks, and selectively accessingthe linked information module 304 based on the role of the member. Theaccess control policy is implemented to ensure that a member of theenterprise only has access to the information relevant to his/her role.This acts as a safeguard against misuse of the information in the linkedinformation module 304.

In one embodiment, the R&D management system 300 can also include aninvestment management module 308 that is configured to distribute aninvestment between the R&D activities based on data related to each R&Dactivity in the linked information database in the linked informationmodule 304. The investment management module 308 provides allinformation relevant for making investment decisions regarding the R&Dactivities. This relevant information can include effort estimates foreach R&D activity, cost estimates for each R&D activity, progress ofeach R&D activity, and the like. The investment management module 308 isalso capable of aggregating and organizing cost information intoseparate R&D activities if the costs are available for each task to beperformed in the R&D activity. For example, the R&D division 206, theengineering-division 208 and its sub-divisions 218-222, and themanufacturing division 210 can have cost information related todifferent tasks involved in R&D. These division can incur cost invarious stages of development of the product, such as materialselection/development of product (by the R&D division 206), design ofproduct (by the mechanical engineering sub-division 218), thermalanalysis and chemical testing (by the thermal engineering sub-division220 and the chemical engineering sub-division 222), and manufacturingmethod development such as casting, powder metallurgy (by themanufacturing division 210) etc. The investment management module 308can aggregate and organize cost information from these differentcategories. This aggregated information can be useful in many ways suchas allocation of funds, estimating cost of a project (such asdevelopment of a new product in this example), utilization andrequirement of funds across various divisions etc. In addition, theinvestment management module 308 can account for relative priorities ofthe R&D activities to distribute the investment available. In otherwords, the investment management module 308 can help managers understandplanned investments in different product areas or technologies, andmodify them to support strategic priorities of the organization orrespond to changing needs of the organization.

In one embodiment, the R&D management system 300 can further include askill-set management module 310. The skill-set management module 310 canbe configured to collate data associated with a member of the one ormore members from the linked information database in the linkedinformation module 304. The collated data can be used for conducting theperformance review of the member. This enables a very comprehensiveperformance review for a member of the enterprise as all informationrelated to the work performed by the member is available on the linkedinformation module 304. Hence, the sum total of all this information canbe considered to be the best reflection of the work performed by themember in the enterprise. Further, this collated information can beprovided to a set of members who are related to the work performed bythis member. In one embodiment, the set of members can include managersfor whom this member has worked, the peers with whom this member hasworked, the reporting manager or sub-division manager for this member,and members from Human Resources (HR) division of the organization. Inanother embodiment, the set of members can include the project managerof this member and supervisor of this member. It will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the set of members will depend on theneeds and policies of the organization. Further, performance reviews fora member can be obtained from members from each of these threecategories i.e. the peers, the reporting manager/sub-division managerand members from HR division, and then combined to give the overallperformance review of the member. The skill-set management module 308also provides for the member to perform his/her self review. This selfreview can also be accounted for while combining the remaining reviewsto obtain the overall performance review.

In another embodiment of the invention, the performance review that isconducted using the collated information is used as the basis fordetermining skills of the member. This skill information for each memberis also stored in the linked information database in the linkedinformation module 304. Further, the skill-set management module 308 canbe configured to identify a member with a predetermined skill based onthe overall performance review of the member. Thus, whenever there is aspecific requirement for a person with a predetermined skill in theenterprise, the skill-set management module will enable efficienttracking of a suitable member across divisions, disciplines andgeographic locations.

In one embodiment, the R&D management system 300 can also include anactivity management module 312 that is configured to process data fromthe linked information module 304 related to an activity of the R&Dactivities in order to generate activity review data based on at leastone predefined parameter associated with the activity. The activityreview data can include tables, graphs and charts which can provide asummary of the information related to the activity. The activitymanagement module 312 also provides a graphical user interface fordisplaying the activity review data to a member to facilitate review ofthe activity. Examples of the predefined parameter include, but are notlimited to, a financial parameter, a progress parameter, a requirementsparameter, and a risk parameter. Generating the activity review datawith respect to specific parameters helps provide insights from the R&Dactivity related to that particular parameter. The activity review datacan also be used to modify the linked information database in the linkedinformation module 304. For example, on reviewing an activity using theactivity review data generated for it by the activity management module312, a member may determine the need to add or alter a requirement, arisk, or associated tasks. Hence, the member will modify the linkedinformation database in the linked information module 304 accordingly.

In one embodiment, the R&D management system 300 can further include anIntellectual Property (IP) management module 314. The IP managementmodule 314 is configured to generate intellectual property dataassociated with the R&D activities based on the set of task informationregarding the one or more tasks. This intellectual property dataprimarily includes linked information records that are identified to benew research. These linked information records contain the outputs ofthe one or more tasks that were performed as part of the R&D activitiesat the enterprise. Hence, intellectual property data can be used togenerate a set of intellectual property assets associated with the R&Dactivities. Examples of the intellectual property assets can includepatents, research papers and the like. The intellectual property datacan also be used to classify the set of intellectual property assetsbased on a set of predefined criteria. Examples of the classificationinclude, but are not limited to, assets to be used in the enterprise'sown products, assets to be sold to other firms, and assets that can belicensed out to other firms. Further, the classification can be based onpredefined criteria such as the applicability of the asset to theenterprise's lines of business, the financial viability of using theasset in their own product, and potential for licensing the asset.

In one embodiment, the R&D management system 300 can also include acommunication channel 316 that is configured to enable the one or moremembers to communicate regarding the one or more tasks associated withthe R&D activities. The inclusion of the communication channel 316 intothe R&D management system 300 facilitates the capture of a set ofcommunication data associated with the one or more tasks performed bythe one or more members. The communication channel 316 can includevarious means of communication such as emails, messengers, telephones,and meeting conversations, etc. Some of these means of communicationssuch as telephones can be implemented with the advancement of voicerecognition technology. Correspondingly, it also provides means forcapturing each kind of communication such as electronic communication;telephonic communication, and verbal communication.

In one embodiment, the R&D management system 300 can further includelinking modules 318. The linking modules 318 are configured to processdata from a plurality of R&D tools used to perform the one or moretasks. The processed information is stored in the linked informationdatabase in the linked information module 304. For the purpose of thisdescription, the linking modules 318 have been shown connected to threeR&D tools, R&D tool A 320, R&D tool B 322, and R&D tool C 324,collectively referred to as R&D tools 320-324. Examples of the R&D tools320-324 can include, but are not limited to, a simulation machine, amechanical testing machine, an electronic testing machine, and the like.The information from the R&D tools 320-324 may need to be processedbefore storing in the linked information module 304 so as to make itcompatible with the format used to store data in the linked informationdatabase in the linked information module 304.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for capturing researchdecision flow in an R&D activity, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention. The R&D activity is performed by a member in anenterprise. To describe the flow diagram, reference will be made to FIG.3, although it should be understood that the flow diagram can beimplemented in any other suitable environment or network. The method canbe performed by the knowledge capture module 302.

At step 402, an objective of the R&D activity is defined for the R&Dsystem 300. In one embodiment of the invention, the objective of the R&Dactivity is defined by the member. At step 404, one or more requirementsare determined for fulfilling the objective of the R&D activity. At step406, a set of risks are identified that are associated with failure tosatisfy the one or more requirements. A task plan is developed tosatisfy the one or more requirements at step 408. Further, the task plancan also mitigate one or more risks at step 408.

At step 410, the objective, the one or more requirements, the set ofrisks and the task plan are linked to generate a linked informationrecord. Although the flow diagram shows steps 402-410 sequentially, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that these steps can occurasynchronously during R&D. For example, a team member may input a newrequirement or update the one or more requirements determined at step404 after task plan 408 has already been defined and R&D is in-progress.Further, as another example, a team member may discover a new risk 406after the task plan 408 has been defined and R&D is in-progress.

The linked information record generated at step 410 is specific to theR&D activity being performed by the member. However, this method can beused to generate linked information records containing informationregarding more than one R&D activity. Further, the linked informationrecord can be used to understand the thought process behind thedecisions made while performing the R&D activity. This is made possiblethrough structuring every R&D activity into a logical structure made ofobjectives, requirements, risks and plans. Hence, through codifying allactions in this structure, the logic and understanding behind thedecision can also be captured.

Let us take the example of an R&D activity that is directed towardsdesigning a lightweight engine. Hence, the objective of the R&D activityis to design a low-cost lightweight engine. Based on this objective, aresearcher will define requirements such as the engine material has tobe lighter by 20%, engine cost can not be greater than a thresholdvalue, and the like. Thereafter, the researcher will identify what arethe risks that could be faced in meeting these requirements, such as thedurability of the engine might be compromised while picking alightweight material, the material may become weak on being exposed tocycles of sudden temperature changes, and the like. Lastly, theresearcher will define a task plan directed towards meeting all therequirements while ensuring that all risks are mitigated. An example ofsuch a task plan can include following tasks in the order they arespecified. First, find out lightweight materials to be considered aspossible options. Then test each material for temperature behavior anddurability. After selecting a material, design the engine block andother components. Lastly, fabricate sample engines and test the sampleengines for fuel efficiency and other characteristics. The examplestated above is only for illustration purposes and it will be apparentto those skilled in the art that the requirements and risks in R&Dactivity can be more complex than those illustrated above.

After defining the task plan, each of the tasks will be carried out andtheir results obtained. Now, based on these results, the R&D activityrequirements, risks, and plans can be changed accordingly. For example,after having tested all materials, aluminum is chosen as the materialfor the engine. However, on fabricating and testing the engine, it isfound that aluminum reacts with an additive in the fuel on combustion.Based on this observation, aluminum will be ruled out and anothermaterial will be chosen. Hence, if at a later date a person working onanother new engine wonders why aluminum was not chosen for the previousengine, then the linked information record will provide the answerdirectly. Therefore, by capturing all the actions in this structure, wecan understand the reasons behind each and every decision that was maderegarding the R&D activity. In one embodiment of the invention, thelinked information record can be updated with every action that isrelated to the R&D activity.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managing R&Dactivities in an enterprise, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. The enterprise includes one or more divisions. Examples ofthe divisions include, but are not limited to, an R&D division, aresearch division, an engineering division, a manufacturing division, atechnology division, a management division, a marketing division, and acustomer service division. The one or more divisions include one or moremembers who are typically employees of the enterprise. To describe theflow diagram, reference will be made to FIG. 3, although it should beunderstood that the flow diagram can be implemented in any othersuitable environment or network.

At step 502, an objective of each R&D activity of the R&D activities isdefined. In one embodiment of the invention, the objective of each R&Dactivity can be input into the knowledge capture module 302 by at leastone of the one or more members of the divisions. At step 504, one ormore requirements for fulfilling the objective of each R&D activity areinput into the capture module 302. In one embodiment of the invention,the one or more requirements can be determined by at least one of theone or more members of the divisions and then input into the knowledgecapture module 302. At step 506, a set of risks associated with failureto satisfy the one or more requirements is input into the capture module302. In one embodiment of the invention, the set of risks can beidentified by at least one of the one or more members of the divisions.Thereafter, at step 508, a task plan to satisfy the one or morerequirements and mitigate one or more risks of the set of risks is inputinto the capture module. In one embodiment, the task plan can be definedby at least one of the one or more members of the divisions. These steps502-508 collectively form the process of capturing research decisionflow in the R&D activities. The process of capturing the researchdecision flow is described in detail in conjunction with the descriptionof FIG. 4.

At step 510, a set of task information is captured that is associatedwith one or more tasks performed by the one or more members. The one ormore tasks are related to the R&D activities. In one embodiment, the setof task information can be captured by the knowledge capture module 302.Thereafter, at step 512, the objective, the one or more requirements,the set of risks, the task plan, and the set of task information relatedto each R&D activity are linked to generate a linked informationdatabase in a linked information module for the R&D activities. In oneembodiment of the invention, the objective, the one or morerequirements, the set of risks, the task plan and the set of taskinformation can be linked by the knowledge capture module 302 and storedin the linked information database in the linked information module 304.

Lastly, at step 514, access to the linked information module 304 isprovided to the one or more members. In one embodiment of the invention,access to the linked information module 304 can be provided by theaccess module 306. The access module 306 can implement an access controlpolicy based on a role of a member in the enterprise.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managing investmenton R&D activities in an enterprise, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention. To describe the flow diagram, reference will be made toFIG. 3, although it should be understood that the flow diagram can beimplemented in any other suitable environment or network.

At step 602, data related to each R&D activity is accessed from thelinked information database in the linked information module 304. In oneembodiment of the invention, data related to each R&D activity can beaccessed by the investment management module 308. At step 604, aninvestment is distributed between the R&D activities based on the datarelated to each R&D activity from the linked information module 304. Inone embodiment of the invention, the investment can be distributedbetween the R&D activities by the investment management module 308. Thefunctioning of the investment management module 308 is described indetail in conjunction with the description of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for performing aperformance review of a member of an enterprise involved in R&D, inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention. To describe the flowdiagram, reference will be made to FIG. 3, although it should beunderstood that the flow diagram can be implemented in any othersuitable environment or network.

At step 702, data associated with one or more members of the enterpriseis accessed from the linked information module 304. In one embodiment ofthe invention, data associated with one or more members of theenterprise can be accessed by the skill-set management module 310. Atstep 704, the data associated with the member of the one or more membersis collated. In one embodiment of the invention, the data associatedwith the member of the one or more members can be collated by theskill-set management module 310. Thereafter, at step 706, the collateddata is provided to a set of members of the one or more members forperformance review of the member. In one embodiment of the invention,the collated data can be provided to a set of members by the skill-setmanagement module 310. The set of members can include each member underwhom the member being evaluated has worked and the members from at leastone division of the one or more divisions. The functioning of theskill-set management module 310 is described in detail in conjunctionwith the description of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for locating a personwith a predetermined skill, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. To describe the flow diagram, reference will be made to FIG.3, although it should be understood that the flow diagram can beimplemented in any other suitable environment or network.

At step 802, data associated with performance review of one or moremembers is accessed from the linked information module 304. In oneembodiment of the invention, data associated with performance review ofone or more members can be accessed by the skill-set management module310. At step 804, members with a predetermined skill are identifiedbased on the performance review of the member. In one embodiment of theinvention, members with the predetermined skill can be identified by theskill-set management module 310. The functioning of the skill-setmanagement module 310 is described in detail in conjunction with thedescription of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for performing a reviewfor an R&D activity, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.To describe the flow diagram, reference will be made to FIG. 3, althoughit should be understood that the flow diagram can be implemented in anyother suitable environment or network.

At step 902, data related to R&D activities is accessed from the linkedinformation module 304. In one embodiment of the invention, data relatedto R&D activities can be accessed by the activity management module 312.At step 904, the data associated with an R&D activity of the R&Dactivities is collated for conducting reviews of the R&D activity. Inone embodiment of the invention, the data associated with the R&Dactivity is collated by the activity management module 312. At step 906,feedback from the reviews is captured and incorporated into the linkedinformation module 304. In one embodiment of the invention, the feedbackis incorporated by the activity management module 312. The functioningof the activity management module 312 is described in detail inconjunction with description of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for managingintellectual property associated with R&D activities, in accordance withan embodiment of the invention. To describe the flow diagram, referencewill be made to FIG. 3, although it should be understood that the flowdiagram can be implemented in any other suitable environment or network.

At step 1002, a set of task information regarding one or more tasksrelated to R&D activities is accessed from the linked information module304. In one embodiment of the invention, the set of task informationregarding the one or more tasks can be accessed by the IntellectualProperty (IP) management module 314. At step 1004, intellectual propertydata associated with the R&D activities is generated. In one embodimentof the invention, the intellectual property data associated with the R&Dactivities can be generated by the IP management module 314.

At step 1006, a set of intellectual property assets associated with theR&D activities is generated. In one embodiment of the invention, the setof intellectual property assets can be generated by the IP managementmodule 314. Thereafter, at step 1008, the set of intellectual propertyassets is classified based on a set of predefined criteria such asproximity with core line of business, implementation ease, contributionto brand value etc. In one embodiment of the invention, the set ofpredefined criteria can be classified by the IP management module 314.The functioning of the IP management module 314 is described in detailin conjunction with description of FIG. 3.

Various embodiments of the invention provide a method and system formanaging R&D activities in an enterprise. The method provides atechnique to capture the research decision flow in the R&D activitiesand store it in the form of structured information. Therefore, themethod enables the thought process and rationale involved in the R&Dactivity to be captured. Further, the method also overcomes the problemof different jargons used across different sub-divisions through storingthe information in objective data fields, thus reducing the complexityof the information.

Various embodiments of the invention provide a method for managing R&Dactivities in an enterprise which makes the whole process of R&Dmanagement more efficient, thus increasing the productivity of the R&Deffort. The method also improves the overall visibility into the wholeR&D process.

Various embodiments of the invention provide a system for managing R&Dactivities in an enterprise, which activities span across the divisionsof the enterprise, and enables exhaustive data capture and effectivesharing of information in the enterprise.

The system, as described in the present invention or any of itscomponents, may be embodied in the form of a computer system. Typicalexamples of a computer system include a general-purpose computer, aprogrammed microprocessor, a micro-controller, a peripheral integratedcircuit element, and other devices or arrangements of devices that arecapable of implementing the steps constituting the method of the presentinvention.

The computer system comprises a computer, an input device, and a displayunit. The computer comprises a microprocessor, which is connected to acommunication bus. The computer also includes a memory, which mayinclude Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read Only Memory (ROM). Further,the computer system comprises a storage device, which can be a hard diskdrive or a removable storage drive such as a floppy disk drive, anoptical disk drive, and so forth. The storage device can also be othersimilar means for loading computer programs or other instructions on thecomputer system.

The computer system executes a set of instructions that are stored in atleast one storage element to process input data. The storage elementsmay also hold data or other information, as desired, and may be aninformation source or physical memory element present in the processingmachine.

The set of instructions may include various commands that instruct theprocessing machine to execute specific tasks such as the stepsconstituting the method of the present invention. The set ofinstructions may be in the form of a software program. The software maybe in various forms such as system software or application software.Further, the software may be in the form of a collection of separateprograms, a program module with a larger program, or a portion of aprogram module. The software may also include modular programming in theform of object-oriented programming. Processing of input data by theprocessing machine may be in response to user commands, to the resultsof previous processing, or to a request made by another processingmachine.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustratedand described, it will be clear that the invention is not limited tothese embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations,substitutions and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in theart, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, asdescribed in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for capturing research decision flow inResearch and Development (R&D) of a new product or technology, themethod comprising: defining or modifying and capturing an objective ofthe R&D of the new product or technology in a linked information record;determining or modifying and capturing one or more requirements forfulfilling the objective of the new product or technology in thedynamically linked information record; identifying or modifying andcapturing a set of risks of failing to fulfill one or more requirementsof the new product or technology in the dynamically linked informationrecord; developing or modifying and capturing in the dynamically linkedinformation record a task plan to perform at least one of; satisfyingthe one or more requirements; and mitigating one or more risks of theset of risks; and generating the linked information record in a computersystem operatively connected to a storage device or arrangement ofstorage devices configured to capture the research decision flow.
 2. Amethod for managing Research and Development (R&D) of a new product ortechnology in an enterprise, the method comprising: defining anobjective of each R&D of a new product or technology; determining one ormore requirements for fulfilling the objective of the new product ortechnology; identifying a set of risks of failing to satisfy the one ormore requirements; and developing a task plan to perform at least oneof: satisfying the one or more requirements; and mitigating one or morerisks of the set of risks; and dynamically linking and capturing theobjective, the one or more requirements, the set of risks and the taskplan from data flow, to generate a linked information record (LIR) in acomputer system operatively connected to a storage device or arrangementof devices configured to capture the data flow; updating the LIR ifneeded; linking other LIR's if needed; performing the methodasynchronously.
 3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprisingclassifying data in the LIR into one or more categories, wherein the oneor more categories are selected from the group consisting of a productcategory, a technology category, and a skill-set category.
 4. The methodas recited in claim 2 further comprising distributing an investmentbetween the R&D of the new product or technology based on data relatedto each R&D of the new product or technology in the LIR.
 5. The methodas recited in claim 2 further comprising collating data associated witha member of an enterprise associated with the LIR, wherein the collateddata is used for performance review of the member.
 6. The method asrecited in claim 5 further comprising providing the collated data to aset of members of the enterprise.
 7. The method as recited in claim 5further comprising identifying a member with a predetermined skill basedon the performance review of the member.
 8. The method as recited inclaim 2 further comprising collating data associated with the R&D of thenew product or technology from the LIR, wherein the collated data isused for conducting a review of the R&D of the new product ortechnology.
 9. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprisingimplementing an access control policy based on a role of a member in theenterprise to authorize the member to perform at least one step selectedfrom the group consisting of inputting the objective, determining theone or more requirements, identifying the set of risks, defining thetask plan, performing the one or more tasks; and selectively accessingthe linked information record based on the role of the member.
 10. Themethod as recited in claim 2 further comprising generating intellectualproperty data associated with the R&D of the new product or technologybased on the set of task information regarding the one or more tasks,wherein the intellectual property data is used for at least one of:generating a set of intellectual property assets associated with the R&Dof the new product or technology; and classifying the set ofintellectual property assets based on a set of predefined criteria. 11.The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising modifying at leastone of the objective, the one or more requirements, the set of risks,and the task plan based on the data flow in the LIR.
 12. The method asrecited in claim 2 further comprising capturing a set of communicationdata associated with the one or more tasks performed.
 13. The method asrecited in claim 2, wherein the LIR further comprises an investmentdata, a skill-set data, an intellectual property data, and a set ofcommunication data.
 14. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein theLIR comprises a plurality of predefined data fields to store data.
 15. Asystem for managing Research and Development (R&D) of a new product ortechnology in an enterprise, the enterprise comprising one or moredivisions, the one or more divisions comprising one or more members, thesystem comprising: a knowledge capture module, operatively connected toa computer system, and configured to store data and further configuredto: capture research decision flow in the R&D of the new product ortechnology by: receiving an objective of each R&D of the new product ortechnology, wherein the objective is input by the one or more members;receiving one or more requirements for fulfilling the objective of eachR&D of the new product or technology, wherein the one or morerequirements are determined by the one or more members; receiving a setof risks identified to be of failing to satisfy the one or morerequirements, wherein the set of risks is identified by the one or moremembers; and receiving a task plan, wherein the task plan is developedto perform at least one of: satisfying the one or more requirements; andmitigating one or more risks of the set of risks, wherein the task planis defined by the one or more members; and capture a set of taskinformation associated with one or more tasks performed by the one ormore members, wherein the one or more tasks are related to the R&D ofthe new product or technology; a linked information module, operativelyconnected to the knowledge capture module, configured to dynamicallylink the objective, the one or more requirements, the set of risks, thetask plan and the set of task information related to each R&D of the newproduct or technology; and an access module, operatively connected tothe knowledge capture module and the linked information module, forproviding access to the linked information module to the one or moremembers, wherein the one or more members can alter the information inthe linked information module by inputting or modifying any of the datastored in the knowledge capture module.
 16. The system as recited inclaim 15 further comprising an investment management module configuredto distribute an investment between the R&D of the new product ortechnology based on data related to each R&D of the new product ortechnology in a linked information database in the linked informationmodule.
 17. The system as recited in claim 16 further comprising anactivity management module, operatively connected to the knowledgecapture module, the linked information module, and the access module,configured to process data from the linked information module related toan activity of each R&D of the new product or technology to generate anactivity review data based on at least one predefined parameterassociated with the new product or technology.
 18. The system as recitedin claim 17, wherein the linked information database in the linkedinformation module is modified based on the activity review data. 19.The system as recited in claim 16 further comprising one or more linkingmodules configured to process data from a plurality of R&D tools used toperform the one or more tasks, wherein the processed data is stored inthe linked information database in the linked information module. 20.The system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a skill-setmanagement module, operatively connected to the knowledge capturemodule, the linked information module, and the access module, configuredto: collate data associated with a member of the one or more membersfrom the linked information module, wherein the collated data is usedfor performance review of the member; and identify a member with apredetermined skill based on the performance review of the member. 21.The system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a communicationchannel configured to enable the one or more members to communicateregarding the one or more tasks associated with each R&D of the newproduct or technology.
 22. The system as recited in claim 15 furthercomprising an intellectual property management module, operativelyconnected to the knowledge capture module, the linked informationmodule, and the access module, configured to generate an intellectualproperty data associated with each R&D of the new product or technologybased on the set of task information regarding the one or more tasks,wherein the intellectual property data is used for at least one of:generating a set of intellectual property assets associated with the R&Dof the new product or technology; and classifying the set ofintellectual property assets based on a set of predefined criteria. 23.A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the data stored in theknowledge capture module further comprises feedback data generated fromreviews of the linked information module linked to the research decisionflow in the R&D of the new product or technology.
 24. An article,comprising: one or more non-transitory processor-readable media storinginstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toperform a method comprising the steps of: defining or modifying anobjective of the R&D activity; identifying or modifying one or morerequirements for fulfilling the objective of the R&D activity;identifying or modifying a set of risks of failing to satisfy the one ormore requirements; developing or modifying a task plan to perform atleast one of; satisfying the one or more requirements; and mitigatingone or more risks of the set of risks; and dynamically linking theobjective, the one or more requirements, the set of risks and the taskplan, to generate a linked information record.
 25. An article,comprising: one or more non-transitory processor-readable media storinginstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toperform a method comprising the steps of: capturing research decisionflow in the R&D of new product of technology, wherein capturingcomprises: inputting an objective of each R&D new product or technology;inputting one or more requirements, wherein the one or more requirementsare determined for fulfilling the objective of each R&D of new productor technology; inputting a set of risks, wherein the set of risks areidentified to be of failing to satisfy the one or more requirements; andinputting a task plan, wherein the task plan is developed to perform atleast one of: satisfying the one or more requirements; and mitigatingone or more risks of the set of risks; capturing a set of taskinformation associated with one or more tasks performed by the one ormore members, wherein the one or more tasks are related to each R&D ofproduct or technology; dynamically linking the inputted objective, theone or more requirements, the set of risks, the task plan and the set oftask information related to each R&D of new product or technology togenerate a linked information database in a linked information modulefor the R&D activities; and providing access to the linked informationmodule to the one or more members.